Detailed instant noodle reviews and ratings – watch, read, and discover your next favorite.
It must be April again, because Nissin has released yet another offbeat Cup Noodles flavor that sounds like a prank but isn’t. This time it’s Nissin Cup Noodles Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese, part of their growing list of limited-edition experiments like Pumpkin Spice and Breakfast Cup Noodles. Both of those turned out better than expected, so this one had me curious. I love everything bagel seasoning and cream cheese, just not necessarily together with noodles.
I recently hit the milestone of 1,000 subscribers, and to celebrate, I’m finally compiling the first-ever Noodle Journey Top 10 Instant Noodles list. Over the course of this channel, I’ve reviewed a massive variety of noodles, but these ten are the absolute best-in-class for their categories, in my humble opinion. These are the varieties that blew me away when I tried them and that I keep stocked regularly in my pantry for when I’m not filming reviews. This list is in no particular order. These are simply the major varieties that are easily obtainable and represent the pinnacle of my own instant noodle universe in 2024.
This review of Marutai Original Ramen closes out my 2023 Marutai Marathon with the flavor that started it all. Released in 1959, this was Marutai’s very first stick ramen product and remains in production today. Unlike the regional or restaurant-supervised varieties I’ve reviewed so far, this one is from Marutai’s basic series and comes in simple packaging. It offers a light broth flavored with chicken, pork, soy, and sesame oil.
Marutai Nagasaki Shikairo Champon is the third of Marutai’s restaurant-supervised products I'm reviewing in a row, and the first Japanese champon I’ve reviewed. Champon originated in Nagasaki in 1899, created by a Chinese restaurant called Shikairo, which still operates today and directly supervised this instant version. Unlike its spicy Korean counterpart, jjampong, this Japanese champon uses a mild, creamy meat and seafood broth and is typically topped with stir-fried pork, seafood, and vegetables.
Marutai Ikkosha Tonkotsu Ramen is the second of Marutai’s restaurant collaborations I'm reviewing this go-round, this time supervised by Ikkosha, a ramen shop based in Hakata with additional locations in Los Angeles, Torrance, and Costa Mesa. The recipe promises a concentrated tonkotsu broth meant to highlight the natural flavor of pork bones.
Marutai Seiyoken Tonkotsu Ramen is the first of three restaurant collaboration products I'm reviewing in a row from Marutai, supervised by Seiyoken in Kurume City, the birthplace of tonkotsu ramen. Unlike the Local Series packs I’ve reviewed before, these are part of Marutai’s “Famous Store Ramen” line, meant to replicate specific restaurant recipes. This one promises a light yet rich tonkotsu broth made with a liquid soup packet instead of the usual powder for a more authentic experience.
Marutai Oita Chicken Paitan Ramen is the newest entry in Marutai’s “Local Series” of stick ramen, released for the 15th anniversary of the line. This product replaces the Miyazaki Chicken Shio and Oita Chicken Yuzu Shoyu flavors, both of which appear to have been discontinued since I reviewed them. Those were solid entries very typical of Marutai's quality, but they were on the lower end of my rankings compared to the rest of the series, so I’m excited that Marutai introduced something that should be more interesting in their place. This recipe is from Oita and features a creamy chicken paitan broth, which marks a contrast with Marutai’s previous clear chintan-style chicken offerings.
Sapporo Ichiban Tonkotsu Momosan Ramen is the second flavor in the Sapporo Ichiban x Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto collaboration, following the Tokyo Chicken variety. While that one impressed me, this tonkotsu faces tougher competition. I’ve reviewed many premium tonkotsu ramen before - from Marutai’s lineup to Itsuki’s vegan version to even Sapporo Ichiban’s own bowl tonkotsu - and they’ve all set a high bar. With Morimoto’s name attached, this one has a lot to prove.
Sapporo Ichiban Tokyo Chicken Momosan Ramen is one of two collaborative flavors developed in collaboration between Sapporo Ichiban and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, promising a unique take on chicken ramen. I just reviewed Sapporo Ichiban’s standard chicken flavor as a baseline to compare this one against, and I’m expecting something much more complex here. I’ve actually been to Morimoto’s Philadelphia restaurant (still the most expensive and best meal I’ve ever had) so I’m holding this to a high standard. Momosan, Morimoto’s more noodle-centric venture, is behind these packaged offerings, and this Tokyo Chicken flavor claims to be an exclusive Morimoto recipe.
In the bowl today: Sapporo Ichiban Chicken Ramen. I’m reviewing one of the most common ramen varieties you’re likely to see in the supermarket, and I’m doing it while I’m not feeling 100%, so a savory chicken soup sounds perfect right now. I had never tried Sapporo Ichiban noodles before launching the channel, but now that I have, I’m always happy with how good these noodles are for the price. I’d walked by them in grocery stores for years and never knew they were better than similarly priced noodles until I had my first bite of their original soy sauce flavor.